Posts by Dan Galenkamp
One Door Closes, Another Opens with help of Covid Grant
The Bridge, a church plant in Fergus, Ontario, had to close a regular community meal program when the pandemic hit.
With a COVID-19 grant from Diaconal Ministries and World Renew Canada, it was resurrected again in a new way!
Read MoreSmall Town Church with Big Heart for their Community
Bethany Christian Reformed Church in Fenwick, Ontario is learning a new way of reaching out through a Community Opportunity Scan. Bethany Christian Reformed Church is a small church among the greenhouses, farms and orchards of Fenwick, Ont. Like many churches in the small towns of Ontario, Bethany has a congregation that faithfully attends each Sunday.…
Read MoreSeeing the Unseen
For most of his life, Al Fielding suffered epileptic seizures. Through two local church communities and an encounter with God, he was healed — and now finds himself on his second term as deacon at Jennings Creek CRC. (Photo by Tim Fuzail from Pexels) “I always felt like God had no use for me. I…
Read MoreFrom “Identity Crisis” to Identity in Christ
Providence CRC’s Community Opportunity Scan Opens New Doors into the Community The congregation members and leadership team might not have said it outright, but Providence Christian Reformed Church was experiencing an identity crisis. The congregation had a 30-year foothold in their Beamsville, ON, community, one of the sleepier spots along the QEW corridor. But, while…
Read MoreDoing Justice to Short-Term Mission Trips
Short-term mission trips are a hot topic in the Christian Reformed Church right now, and in the broader Western church in general. Millions of North Americans travel to both far off and nearby places every year with the intention of sharing the good news of Christ to those living in poverty, or places where the…
Read MoreA Part of the Body
I was born and raised in the Christian Reformed Church. My parents were missionaries in the Navajo Nation. As a passionate believer, I witnessed to my playmates and started begging to take communion when I was seven because I had asked Jesus into my heart. I expected that God would one day call me to…
Read MoreDiaconal Ministries Canada Announces Next National Director
Dear Friends of Diaconal Ministries Canada: This year marks a significant transition for Diaconal Ministries. After serving for more than 14 years as the National Director, Hans Kater will be retiring as of June 30th. We cannot express enough thanks for his wise and gracious leadership which has been a constant blessing for our organization…
Read MoreAdvocacy: It’s Not as Hard as It Sounds
Advocate. It’s a word we hear every once in a while. No, it is not a smooth green fruit that gets turned into guacamole. And no, it’s not a liqueur made with eggs, sugar and brandy. (Yep, I’m talking about the Dutch liqueur known as Advocaat. Yuck.) Jokes aside, advocacy is an activity we talk…
Read MoreChanging the Conversation about Climate Change
Climate change, global warming, and the greenhouse effect—we’ve heard the same language over and over again. The earth is getting too hot, it’s happening too fast, and humanity is to blame. And, while the scientific consensus is overwhelmingly positive that global warming is real and being caused by humans (97% of scientists), some Christians disagree.…
Read MoreShowing Your God-Colours
This fall I helped start a Generous Space group in BC’s Fraser Valley. Simply put, Generous Space is a bible study for people and allies of the LBGTQ+ Community. If you asked me five years ago if this is where I saw myself headed, I would have laughed. Six years ago, my husband of 15…
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